The founder of a nativist hate group who allowed neo-Nazis to join his anti-illegal immigration rallies has a new job doing public relations work for a government official in Southern California.
Joe Turner was hired Tuesday by the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors to serve as a special projects coordinator. Turner’s responsibilities will include writing press releases and newspaper opinion pieces reflecting the views of Supervisor Neil Derry, county spokesman David Wert told Hatewatch. His salary will be $54,995.
Turner’s appointment has provoked an outcry from some community members, who point to his controversial statements and acceptance of open white supremacists at anti-illegal immigration rallies. “I guess David Duke wasn’t available,” quipped Brian Levin, director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino.
Turner founded and led Save Our State, which the Southern Poverty Law Center has designated a hate group since it first appeared in late 2004. On Turner’s watch, Save Our State regularly failed to turn away neo-Nazis and racist skinheads, some uniformed and carrying white power-themed flags, who joined its rallies on the streets of Southern California. Later, he led efforts to get the city of San Bernardino to pass an ordinance aimed at penalizing undocumented immigrants. That led to his being hired by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), which is also listed as a hate group by SPLC, in late 2006. He left FAIR under unclear circumstances in December 2007.
Save Our State’s online forum also included blatantly racist posts that Turner failed to delete. Turner himself contributed controversial comments to the forum, including one that amounted to a defense of white separatism. “I can make the argument that just because one believes in white separatism, that does not make them a racist,” he wrote in 2005. “I can make the argument that someone who proclaims to be a white nationalist isn’t necessarily a white supremacist. I don’t think that standing up for your ‘kind’ or ‘your race’ makes you a bad person.”
But Turner’s unsavory history didn’t seem to dissuade the San Bernardino supervisors, who voted 4-0 to approve his employment contract. Although neither Derry nor Turner returned calls from Hatewatch, county spokesman Wert defended Turner’s selection. The former Save Our State leader has done nothing to indicate he has neo-Nazi leanings, Wert said, though he was advised to tone down his rhetoric on illegal immigration. “He’s become kind of a lightning rod for those who are supportive of illegal immigration, and we understand that. But Mr. Derry feels he will do a very good job with the duties he’s been assigned to in this position.”
Levin, the California State professor, says the debate surrounding Turner isn’t about immigration. “There are people of goodwill who hold conservative views on immigration. This is someone who has used egregious race-baiting, and that should disqualify him from any position of trust in government, especially in a county that has such a high proportion of Latinos.”
It’s not Turner’s first job with the county. He currently works as an analyst for the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health, which “place[s] a high value on strong working alliances with local community groups representing the diverse populations who live in all areas of our large county,” according to its website.
It’s also not the first time Turner has been the focus of controversy. In 2006, a San Bernardino Unified School District union retracted its endorsement of Turner’s school board candidacy after members raised concerns about racism.
Nonetheless, Turner can feel confident he has the support of Save Our State activists, who yesterday wrote laudatory messages on the organization’s web forum. “Congrats Joe,” said one post. “It’s a new day, and your voice is being heard.”
Source: splcenter.org
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Toughest Sheriff in America Treats Inmates Guilty Until Proven Innocent
Maricopa County Jail
The Maricopa County Jail ls the worst jail facility in the Country, which was deemed condemned and unclean, where inmates are starved and neglected.
Getting Medical treatment is often impossible and when a Life Threatening Medical Emergency arises, The Detention Officers often ignore any plead for help from inmates, justifying in their own mind that the "Inmate shouldn't have come to jail." This isn't
a prison, it's a county jail, which means the inmates there are
INNOCENT people who have not yet gone to trial. In fact, only a very small percentage of the inmates there have been convicted and sentenced, which is about 20% and they are housed outside in the smoldering desert heat in tents that have no air and it reaches temperatures in the triple digits. Please be aware, that this small percentage of convicted inmates are serving time for a "MISDEMEANOR" charge, usually traffic violations, driving on a suspended license, failure to pay a fine, failure to appear in court, or trespassing, dog unleashed, littering, or jay-walking, simple misdemeanor charges, meaning petty... non-violent and non dangerous.
Nothing that the people in the community should find threatening. those types of crimes are classified as felonies and therefore have to be served in the State Prison Correctional Facility, NOT in the County Jail. Keep in mind that the county jail is for people awaiting their trial. The State Prison is for convicted felons.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio thinks it is okay to treat non-convicted, un-sentenced, detainees as if they have been found guilty. You will see no difference in the way he treats those who have been convicted of a crime and those who have not. I do not condone the abusive treatment of any inmate, convicted or not... Guilty or Not Guilty,... But I don't think it is fair, nor right that a persons rights can be violated as harshly as they are by the Maricopa County Jail systems employees, without any regard to the person whatsoever. For one thing... deprivation is on a grand scale here in the facility where inmates are denied decent healthy food, and are fed only twice a day, once at 9am and not again until 8pm at night... that is a long time to go without anything to eat, especially for the pregnant inmates and the food that is served in the morning is often spoiled.
The inmates are denied health care on a very high level... and if an inmate has a seizure or a life threatening injury, something that requires immediatemedical attention, it is most likely that the inmate will die first before they get it.
Unfortunate is the praise for the Maricopa County Jail system that the sheriff administers.
Abuse
If it's one thing the Detentions Officer's (D.O's) enjoy, is power. They are all on Power Trips, and just because they can, they will often write up an inmate and send them to the hole for 30 days just for getting up off of their bunk and going to use the restroom. If the inmate tries to challenge this, it often results in the inmate getting tasered and taken down by a mob of over zealous Detention Officer's bored on their shift and will jumpat the chance for some action. The inmate is just trying to explain their reason for being up (i.e, had diarrheal, needed a tampax,) but that is viewed as confrontational and the D.O's will even come down on them harder, and yell out "Stop Resisting!" when in-fact the inmate is doing no such thing... but the D.O's will make it appear that they are and very roughly bend their arms WAY up behind their back, and drag them around by their elbows, the pain is excruciating but they won't stop, despite the inmates pleas, all the yelling and screaming out in pain by the inmate will be made to look like resisting and fighting by the Detention Officer. Several Inmates have Died in this Jail for no good reason at all. Would you want your kid in this jail? even if they were Guilty? A Misdemeanor is not that serious and does not constitute such harsh , inhumane treatment by these over zealous power tripped wannabe sheriff deputy Detention Officers.
Detention Officers
Joe Arpaio's detention officers saw a mentally challenged 19 yr old boy as such a threat, they strapped him into a medieval restraint chair and broke his neck. Detention officers at the Madison Street Jail pulled a hood over his head and slammed him into this medieval-looking restraint chair and left him there to die. Also no other inmates, even an inmate who witnessed this brutality made an attempt to contact any of the other detention officers, MCSO said. But of course that's not an inmates job or responsibility to supervise the D.O's, it is the D.O's job and responsibility to supervise the inmates, not hand out justice as they see fit, and certainly not to kill them.
Arpaio began to serve inmates surplus food (mainly outdated and oxidized green bologna) and limited meals to twice daily. He serves the inmates surplus food like green bologna and limits meals to twice a day and thinks its okay, he tells them , "You shouldn't have come to jail." It seems to me that the current system of housing inmates does not give them the least bit chance to turn their life around, that is , IF they are guilty of anything. Arpaio has been housing inmates in tents for years...He started chain gangs so the inmates could do free work for him on county and city projects. He created chain gangs, so the inmates could work on these projects at no cost to the taxpayers. Arpaio believes that inmates should be treated as harshly as legally possible to emphasize the punishment aspect of their incarceration. One of them is to draw state or city legislative districts around large prisons and pretend that the inmates are legitimate constituents. It's despicable, the praise he receives for the Maricopa County jail system and the treatment that they administer. Especially if you are counting on these inmates to police themselves by telling the guards, when they will just be beaten later for snitching. Seriously, the guy has let over 60 inmates die on his watch, not from riots or violence but from treatable health conditions. What next, a girl who was a "diabetic" but ignored for 36 hours without any food, who's blood sugar goes up sky high and she dies too! or who isn't fed but just twice a day at 12 hour intervals. Eating only twice a day will drop your insulin level down, very low and you can die.
In the past the jail had to send away inmates due to overcrowding, but Joe came up with a solution, just pile them up outside in the tents. The County Jail wouldn't BE so crowded if law enforcement weren't so petty and arresting people for the smallest and pettiest of things, like walking your dog without a leash, YES , you cango to jail for that. And not just a couple of days, try a couple of months! Detention Officers at the Madison Street Jail and Guards at the Estrella Jail do not hesitate to abuse inmates physically or verbally. They even enjoy doing it. Why? because there are no repercussions for doing so... they can even get away with murder.
Inmates are constantly being deprived of humane treatment, food, necessities, but also "The failure to transport inmates to their court dates." this dramatically affects the timely resolution of criminal cases and deprives victims of their rights to a speedy trial, making them sit in jail longer, to further endure more massively abusive and neglectful treatment. It's a win-win situation: his toadies get their power and money while executing the most horrific of horrific treatment, while Arpaio gets the exposure that he so craves, the media photo ops and news coverage, where he likes to act tough and show off his bully tactics. He forces inmates to live in deplorable, inhumane conditions and brags about it on TV. But, his denial of even the most basic medical care to inmate at his jail is really inhumane. People are dying here people... Even innocent ones, Wake Up. Many inmates, including those claiming innocence, have actually signed plea bargains just to be transferred to the prison system where at least the treatment and conditions were tolerable, and where they can at least be fed and not be hungry all the time. Eating only twice a day will drop your insulin level down, very low and you can die. He's had more prisoners, men and women and even pregnant women, die on his watch. But, for now I want to speak for the family members and friends of inmates in this jail, convicted or not.
Most people are also not aware that the majority of jail inmates have never been convicted of anything. You can label the inmates at tent city as criminals but most of the people there are not hardened criminals. It shouldn't matter whether the inmate is guilty or not, the fact of the matter is no one should be denied medical attention and food- any human beings basic needs. They are, after all, responsible for all inmates' well being and health care and some that die there in that jail deserve life. He also doesn't allow the inmates to have salt, pepper, sugar or any other condiments. Total and Complete deprivation on a large if not grand scale.
Also, most people are not aware that the vast majority of inmates incarcerated today are mental ill. They need a hospital not a jail cell.
There is more to being Sheriff than serving county inmates green baloney on stale bread, expired milk and housing them in 115 degree weather, or if your lucky enough to be housed indoors you get to share the space with rats and roaches. I have seen where an inmate was suspected of having contraband, the inmate was placed into what is called a dry cell, one without a toilet. and without water.
Some are left there and simply forgotten about. And they become gravely ill. The Detention Officers where notified that an inmate was ill, but they did not respond to the other inmates request for immediate help. As the jail refuses to treat insect bites, other inmates sometimes help inmates squeeze out pus and salt the wounds.
Eat the same slop, sleep in the heat on a metal cot, take showers with all of the other inmates and do manual labor. The permanent states of hunger cause inmates to forage in trashcans and to inflict harm on each other over insignificant amounts of food. We're not saying that drunk drivers shouldn't go to jail, we're arguing over the horrible treatment of inmates. Sheriff Joe continually puts unsentenced inmates in jails deemed condemned by the state health board. I'd rather a few stupid college kids get in accidents than put thousands of essentially innocent people through a process like this.
The mob mentality of the Salem Witch Trials and the fun in public displays of vindictiveness are embodied in Arpio's constant self promotion. If Sheriff Joe's policy with inmates deters anyone who is not in jail from going to jail, then it is worth the effort. Bush appointee, ruled that the MCSO detention system violated legal standards of inmate treatment. Also, I think that those who died from abuse, deserve more respect than that, but I guess at least they are being buried.
TRUTH: Jails and prisons here in Arizona and all over the county feed surplus food that is spoiled rotten to inmates and have done so for many years. When the inmates complain, he tells them, "This isn't the Ritz/Carlton, You shouldn't have come to jail". The Sheriff said it wasn't his problem if the inmates refused to eat it. This one does Joe Arpaio one better, by not only serving bad food, but requiring inmates to pay for it or starve. He has jail meals down to 40 cents a serving and charges the inmates for them.
Inmates sit in processing tanks for hours unattended by the guards, where they can get beat up on by other inmates and not even get any help from the staff. From time-to-time the inmates may attempt to get an officer's attention by banging on the door or writing help on the fogged up glass. Whether or not the officer responds or even acknowledges them, is a different story.
If you think like Joe Arpaio and say, "Well, they shouldn't have gone to jail"... and you don't think you or someone you love and care about can ever get caught up in Maricopa County's black hole of injustice, think again. Like I warned, you can be taken to jail for simply not having your dog on a leash. And you will be treated with such severe cruelty, you will wish that no one you know or love will ever end up in that place.
As the saying commonly goes,
"Arizona... Come Here On Vacation, Leave On Probation."
Sources:
http://judiciary.house.gov/news/090212.html
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/rights/126986/finally%2C_the_law_goes_after_joe_arpaio_--_the_most_abusive_sheriff_in_america/
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2008-10-23/news/are-joe-arpaio-and-his-mcso-s-fiscally-wasteful-and-inhumane-antics-finally-catching-up-with-him/
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/125767
http://www.november.org/stayinfo/breaking08/Arpaio_Jail_Staff_Abuse.html
http://www.november.org/stayinfo/breaking08/Judge_Rules_Against_Arpaio.html
http://www.november.org/stayinfo/breaking3/SheriffJoeBBC.html
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
I am an advocate for human decency and fair treatment no matter who you are. No Human being should ever have to endure such deplorable and harsh treatment by anyone and especially not while in custody of law officials. Sheriff Joe Arpaio hang your head in shame you ought to be brought into your own jail and prosecuted for your crimes against humanity.
Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1518885/joe_arpaios_maricopa_county_jail_treats.html?singlepage=true&cat=17
The Maricopa County Jail ls the worst jail facility in the Country, which was deemed condemned and unclean, where inmates are starved and neglected.
Getting Medical treatment is often impossible and when a Life Threatening Medical Emergency arises, The Detention Officers often ignore any plead for help from inmates, justifying in their own mind that the "Inmate shouldn't have come to jail." This isn't
a prison, it's a county jail, which means the inmates there are
INNOCENT people who have not yet gone to trial. In fact, only a very small percentage of the inmates there have been convicted and sentenced, which is about 20% and they are housed outside in the smoldering desert heat in tents that have no air and it reaches temperatures in the triple digits. Please be aware, that this small percentage of convicted inmates are serving time for a "MISDEMEANOR" charge, usually traffic violations, driving on a suspended license, failure to pay a fine, failure to appear in court, or trespassing, dog unleashed, littering, or jay-walking, simple misdemeanor charges, meaning petty... non-violent and non dangerous.
Nothing that the people in the community should find threatening. those types of crimes are classified as felonies and therefore have to be served in the State Prison Correctional Facility, NOT in the County Jail. Keep in mind that the county jail is for people awaiting their trial. The State Prison is for convicted felons.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio thinks it is okay to treat non-convicted, un-sentenced, detainees as if they have been found guilty. You will see no difference in the way he treats those who have been convicted of a crime and those who have not. I do not condone the abusive treatment of any inmate, convicted or not... Guilty or Not Guilty,... But I don't think it is fair, nor right that a persons rights can be violated as harshly as they are by the Maricopa County Jail systems employees, without any regard to the person whatsoever. For one thing... deprivation is on a grand scale here in the facility where inmates are denied decent healthy food, and are fed only twice a day, once at 9am and not again until 8pm at night... that is a long time to go without anything to eat, especially for the pregnant inmates and the food that is served in the morning is often spoiled.
The inmates are denied health care on a very high level... and if an inmate has a seizure or a life threatening injury, something that requires immediatemedical attention, it is most likely that the inmate will die first before they get it.
Unfortunate is the praise for the Maricopa County Jail system that the sheriff administers.
Abuse
If it's one thing the Detentions Officer's (D.O's) enjoy, is power. They are all on Power Trips, and just because they can, they will often write up an inmate and send them to the hole for 30 days just for getting up off of their bunk and going to use the restroom. If the inmate tries to challenge this, it often results in the inmate getting tasered and taken down by a mob of over zealous Detention Officer's bored on their shift and will jumpat the chance for some action. The inmate is just trying to explain their reason for being up (i.e, had diarrheal, needed a tampax,) but that is viewed as confrontational and the D.O's will even come down on them harder, and yell out "Stop Resisting!" when in-fact the inmate is doing no such thing... but the D.O's will make it appear that they are and very roughly bend their arms WAY up behind their back, and drag them around by their elbows, the pain is excruciating but they won't stop, despite the inmates pleas, all the yelling and screaming out in pain by the inmate will be made to look like resisting and fighting by the Detention Officer. Several Inmates have Died in this Jail for no good reason at all. Would you want your kid in this jail? even if they were Guilty? A Misdemeanor is not that serious and does not constitute such harsh , inhumane treatment by these over zealous power tripped wannabe sheriff deputy Detention Officers.
Detention Officers
Joe Arpaio's detention officers saw a mentally challenged 19 yr old boy as such a threat, they strapped him into a medieval restraint chair and broke his neck. Detention officers at the Madison Street Jail pulled a hood over his head and slammed him into this medieval-looking restraint chair and left him there to die. Also no other inmates, even an inmate who witnessed this brutality made an attempt to contact any of the other detention officers, MCSO said. But of course that's not an inmates job or responsibility to supervise the D.O's, it is the D.O's job and responsibility to supervise the inmates, not hand out justice as they see fit, and certainly not to kill them.
Arpaio began to serve inmates surplus food (mainly outdated and oxidized green bologna) and limited meals to twice daily. He serves the inmates surplus food like green bologna and limits meals to twice a day and thinks its okay, he tells them , "You shouldn't have come to jail." It seems to me that the current system of housing inmates does not give them the least bit chance to turn their life around, that is , IF they are guilty of anything. Arpaio has been housing inmates in tents for years...He started chain gangs so the inmates could do free work for him on county and city projects. He created chain gangs, so the inmates could work on these projects at no cost to the taxpayers. Arpaio believes that inmates should be treated as harshly as legally possible to emphasize the punishment aspect of their incarceration. One of them is to draw state or city legislative districts around large prisons and pretend that the inmates are legitimate constituents. It's despicable, the praise he receives for the Maricopa County jail system and the treatment that they administer. Especially if you are counting on these inmates to police themselves by telling the guards, when they will just be beaten later for snitching. Seriously, the guy has let over 60 inmates die on his watch, not from riots or violence but from treatable health conditions. What next, a girl who was a "diabetic" but ignored for 36 hours without any food, who's blood sugar goes up sky high and she dies too! or who isn't fed but just twice a day at 12 hour intervals. Eating only twice a day will drop your insulin level down, very low and you can die.
In the past the jail had to send away inmates due to overcrowding, but Joe came up with a solution, just pile them up outside in the tents. The County Jail wouldn't BE so crowded if law enforcement weren't so petty and arresting people for the smallest and pettiest of things, like walking your dog without a leash, YES , you cango to jail for that. And not just a couple of days, try a couple of months! Detention Officers at the Madison Street Jail and Guards at the Estrella Jail do not hesitate to abuse inmates physically or verbally. They even enjoy doing it. Why? because there are no repercussions for doing so... they can even get away with murder.
Inmates are constantly being deprived of humane treatment, food, necessities, but also "The failure to transport inmates to their court dates." this dramatically affects the timely resolution of criminal cases and deprives victims of their rights to a speedy trial, making them sit in jail longer, to further endure more massively abusive and neglectful treatment. It's a win-win situation: his toadies get their power and money while executing the most horrific of horrific treatment, while Arpaio gets the exposure that he so craves, the media photo ops and news coverage, where he likes to act tough and show off his bully tactics. He forces inmates to live in deplorable, inhumane conditions and brags about it on TV. But, his denial of even the most basic medical care to inmate at his jail is really inhumane. People are dying here people... Even innocent ones, Wake Up. Many inmates, including those claiming innocence, have actually signed plea bargains just to be transferred to the prison system where at least the treatment and conditions were tolerable, and where they can at least be fed and not be hungry all the time. Eating only twice a day will drop your insulin level down, very low and you can die. He's had more prisoners, men and women and even pregnant women, die on his watch. But, for now I want to speak for the family members and friends of inmates in this jail, convicted or not.
Most people are also not aware that the majority of jail inmates have never been convicted of anything. You can label the inmates at tent city as criminals but most of the people there are not hardened criminals. It shouldn't matter whether the inmate is guilty or not, the fact of the matter is no one should be denied medical attention and food- any human beings basic needs. They are, after all, responsible for all inmates' well being and health care and some that die there in that jail deserve life. He also doesn't allow the inmates to have salt, pepper, sugar or any other condiments. Total and Complete deprivation on a large if not grand scale.
Also, most people are not aware that the vast majority of inmates incarcerated today are mental ill. They need a hospital not a jail cell.
There is more to being Sheriff than serving county inmates green baloney on stale bread, expired milk and housing them in 115 degree weather, or if your lucky enough to be housed indoors you get to share the space with rats and roaches. I have seen where an inmate was suspected of having contraband, the inmate was placed into what is called a dry cell, one without a toilet. and without water.
Some are left there and simply forgotten about. And they become gravely ill. The Detention Officers where notified that an inmate was ill, but they did not respond to the other inmates request for immediate help. As the jail refuses to treat insect bites, other inmates sometimes help inmates squeeze out pus and salt the wounds.
Eat the same slop, sleep in the heat on a metal cot, take showers with all of the other inmates and do manual labor. The permanent states of hunger cause inmates to forage in trashcans and to inflict harm on each other over insignificant amounts of food. We're not saying that drunk drivers shouldn't go to jail, we're arguing over the horrible treatment of inmates. Sheriff Joe continually puts unsentenced inmates in jails deemed condemned by the state health board. I'd rather a few stupid college kids get in accidents than put thousands of essentially innocent people through a process like this.
The mob mentality of the Salem Witch Trials and the fun in public displays of vindictiveness are embodied in Arpio's constant self promotion. If Sheriff Joe's policy with inmates deters anyone who is not in jail from going to jail, then it is worth the effort. Bush appointee, ruled that the MCSO detention system violated legal standards of inmate treatment. Also, I think that those who died from abuse, deserve more respect than that, but I guess at least they are being buried.
TRUTH: Jails and prisons here in Arizona and all over the county feed surplus food that is spoiled rotten to inmates and have done so for many years. When the inmates complain, he tells them, "This isn't the Ritz/Carlton, You shouldn't have come to jail". The Sheriff said it wasn't his problem if the inmates refused to eat it. This one does Joe Arpaio one better, by not only serving bad food, but requiring inmates to pay for it or starve. He has jail meals down to 40 cents a serving and charges the inmates for them.
Inmates sit in processing tanks for hours unattended by the guards, where they can get beat up on by other inmates and not even get any help from the staff. From time-to-time the inmates may attempt to get an officer's attention by banging on the door or writing help on the fogged up glass. Whether or not the officer responds or even acknowledges them, is a different story.
If you think like Joe Arpaio and say, "Well, they shouldn't have gone to jail"... and you don't think you or someone you love and care about can ever get caught up in Maricopa County's black hole of injustice, think again. Like I warned, you can be taken to jail for simply not having your dog on a leash. And you will be treated with such severe cruelty, you will wish that no one you know or love will ever end up in that place.
As the saying commonly goes,
"Arizona... Come Here On Vacation, Leave On Probation."
Sources:
http://judiciary.house.gov/news/090212.html
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/rights/126986/finally%2C_the_law_goes_after_joe_arpaio_--_the_most_abusive_sheriff_in_america/
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2008-10-23/news/are-joe-arpaio-and-his-mcso-s-fiscally-wasteful-and-inhumane-antics-finally-catching-up-with-him/
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/125767
http://www.november.org/stayinfo/breaking08/Arpaio_Jail_Staff_Abuse.html
http://www.november.org/stayinfo/breaking08/Judge_Rules_Against_Arpaio.html
http://www.november.org/stayinfo/breaking3/SheriffJoeBBC.html
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
I am an advocate for human decency and fair treatment no matter who you are. No Human being should ever have to endure such deplorable and harsh treatment by anyone and especially not while in custody of law officials. Sheriff Joe Arpaio hang your head in shame you ought to be brought into your own jail and prosecuted for your crimes against humanity.
Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1518885/joe_arpaios_maricopa_county_jail_treats.html?singlepage=true&cat=17
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Lawsuit Charging Sheriff Arpaio Illegally Targeted Latinos In Maricopa County Can Go Forward
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org
PHOENIX – A federal court ruled that a class action lawsuit charging that Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio illegally profiled Latinos can proceed.
In July 2008, five individuals and Somos America, a Latino community-based coalition, sued Arpaio, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) and Maricopa County, claiming that they or their members were unlawfully stopped and mistreated by law enforcement agents because they were Latino. The county asked the U.S. District Court in Arizona to dismiss the lawsuit in October, but today's ruling clears the way for the lawsuit to go forward.
The court recognized that Latino appearance is of "little or no use" in determining which individuals should be stopped by law enforcement seeking "illegal aliens," and that reasonable suspicion of a traffic violation does not justify questioning of drivers or passengers about immigration status.
"At stake in this case is a matter of acute public importance. Law enforcement practices that target a group based solely on the color of their skin have no place in America," said Peter Kozinets, an attorney at Steptoe & Johnson LLP in Phoenix who argued the case. "This is a critical step in protecting the rights of all people in this country."
The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Arizona, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) and lead counsel Steptoe & Johnson LLP are representing the five individuals and Somos America and charge that the policies and practices of Arpaio and the county are discriminatory and unlawfully violate the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Arizona Constitution. The amended lawsuit builds upon an earlier complaint filed in December 2007.
"We're encouraged that the sheriff's office's practice of targeting people simply because of the color of their skin can now be fully examined in a court of law," said ACLU of Arizona Legal Director Dan Pochoda, one of the attorneys representing the plaintiffs. "Sheriff Arpaio's discriminatory policies have no place in a free country. We do not want to live in a place where you can be stopped for no reason and asked for 'your papers please.'"
Arpaio has launched a series of so-called "crime suppression sweeps" in Maricopa County in Latino neighborhoods and in areas where Latinos work as day laborers. Maricopa County residents and local officials alike have complained that the conduct of the sheriff and his office go well beyond the scope of the MCSO's legal authority and often results in the harassment of Latinos.
"We are very pleased that this important case will be heard," said MALDEF staff attorney Kristina Campbell. "In America we value fairness and equality, but Sheriff Arpaio's sweeps have resulted in the harassment of Latinos and violated their civil rights. There's nothing fair about that."
Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon has denounced Sheriff Arpaio and last April, after the MCSO engaged in sweeps in the town of Guadalupe, Gordon formally requested that former U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey launch a Justice Department investigation into Sheriff Arpaio's and the MCSO's "discriminatory harassment, improper stops, searches and arrests" of Latino persons in Maricopa County. Gordon has also publicly stated that the sweeps are interfering with the work of undercover city police officers and federal agents.
Lawyers on the case, Ortega Melendres, et al. v. Arpaio, et al., include Mónica Ramírez of the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project; Pochoda of the ACLU of Arizona; Campbell and Nancy Ramirez of MALDEF; and Kozinets, David Bodney, Karen Hartman-Tellez and Isaac Hernandez of Steptoe & Johnson LLP.
Today's ruling is online at: http://www.aclu.org/immigrants/gen/38709lgl20090210.html
The complaint is online at: http://www.aclu.org/immigrants/gen/35998lgl20080716.html
The letter from Mayor Gordon to Attorney General Mukasey is online at: http://www.aclu.org/immigrants/gen/35981res20080404.html
More information about the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project is online at: http://www.aclu.org/immigrants/index.html
More information about Steptoe & Johnson LLP is online at: http://www.steptoe.com
Source: aclu.org
CONTACT: (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org
PHOENIX – A federal court ruled that a class action lawsuit charging that Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio illegally profiled Latinos can proceed.
In July 2008, five individuals and Somos America, a Latino community-based coalition, sued Arpaio, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) and Maricopa County, claiming that they or their members were unlawfully stopped and mistreated by law enforcement agents because they were Latino. The county asked the U.S. District Court in Arizona to dismiss the lawsuit in October, but today's ruling clears the way for the lawsuit to go forward.
The court recognized that Latino appearance is of "little or no use" in determining which individuals should be stopped by law enforcement seeking "illegal aliens," and that reasonable suspicion of a traffic violation does not justify questioning of drivers or passengers about immigration status.
"At stake in this case is a matter of acute public importance. Law enforcement practices that target a group based solely on the color of their skin have no place in America," said Peter Kozinets, an attorney at Steptoe & Johnson LLP in Phoenix who argued the case. "This is a critical step in protecting the rights of all people in this country."
The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Arizona, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) and lead counsel Steptoe & Johnson LLP are representing the five individuals and Somos America and charge that the policies and practices of Arpaio and the county are discriminatory and unlawfully violate the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Arizona Constitution. The amended lawsuit builds upon an earlier complaint filed in December 2007.
"We're encouraged that the sheriff's office's practice of targeting people simply because of the color of their skin can now be fully examined in a court of law," said ACLU of Arizona Legal Director Dan Pochoda, one of the attorneys representing the plaintiffs. "Sheriff Arpaio's discriminatory policies have no place in a free country. We do not want to live in a place where you can be stopped for no reason and asked for 'your papers please.'"
Arpaio has launched a series of so-called "crime suppression sweeps" in Maricopa County in Latino neighborhoods and in areas where Latinos work as day laborers. Maricopa County residents and local officials alike have complained that the conduct of the sheriff and his office go well beyond the scope of the MCSO's legal authority and often results in the harassment of Latinos.
"We are very pleased that this important case will be heard," said MALDEF staff attorney Kristina Campbell. "In America we value fairness and equality, but Sheriff Arpaio's sweeps have resulted in the harassment of Latinos and violated their civil rights. There's nothing fair about that."
Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon has denounced Sheriff Arpaio and last April, after the MCSO engaged in sweeps in the town of Guadalupe, Gordon formally requested that former U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey launch a Justice Department investigation into Sheriff Arpaio's and the MCSO's "discriminatory harassment, improper stops, searches and arrests" of Latino persons in Maricopa County. Gordon has also publicly stated that the sweeps are interfering with the work of undercover city police officers and federal agents.
Lawyers on the case, Ortega Melendres, et al. v. Arpaio, et al., include Mónica Ramírez of the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project; Pochoda of the ACLU of Arizona; Campbell and Nancy Ramirez of MALDEF; and Kozinets, David Bodney, Karen Hartman-Tellez and Isaac Hernandez of Steptoe & Johnson LLP.
Today's ruling is online at: http://www.aclu.org/immigrants/gen/38709lgl20090210.html
The complaint is online at: http://www.aclu.org/immigrants/gen/35998lgl20080716.html
The letter from Mayor Gordon to Attorney General Mukasey is online at: http://www.aclu.org/immigrants/gen/35981res20080404.html
More information about the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project is online at: http://www.aclu.org/immigrants/index.html
More information about Steptoe & Johnson LLP is online at: http://www.steptoe.com
Source: aclu.org
Sheriff Joe Arpaio under federal investigation
HIGH-PROFILE ARIZONA SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TARGET OF FEDERAL PROBE
PHOENIX — Federal authorities have told a high-profile Arizona sheriff that they will investigate his department over allegations of discriminatory practices and unconstitutional searches and seizures.
The U.S. Justice Department said in a letter delivered Tuesday to Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio that the investigation will focus on alleged patterns of discrimination based on a person's national origin.
Arpaio told The Associated Press that he will cooperate with the Justice Department.
Arpaio, who describes himself as "America's Toughest Sheriff" and is best known for feeding jail inmates green bologna sandwiches, clothing them in pink underwear, and making them work on chain gangs, received praise for his anti-immigration efforts from many who believe the federal government isn't doing enough to remove people in the U.S. illegally.
But his raids and sweeps of illegal immigrants in Phoenix and nearby Guadalupe have drawn protests from community leaders and civil liberties advocates. Arpaio, a Republican, has also been criticized for letting thousands of felony warrants go unserved while he chased illegal immigrants.
According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, there are about 59,000 outstanding, unserved felony warrants in the state. The majority are in Maricopa County, the state's most populated county.
Source: foxnews.com
PHOENIX — Federal authorities have told a high-profile Arizona sheriff that they will investigate his department over allegations of discriminatory practices and unconstitutional searches and seizures.
The U.S. Justice Department said in a letter delivered Tuesday to Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio that the investigation will focus on alleged patterns of discrimination based on a person's national origin.
Arpaio told The Associated Press that he will cooperate with the Justice Department.
Arpaio, who describes himself as "America's Toughest Sheriff" and is best known for feeding jail inmates green bologna sandwiches, clothing them in pink underwear, and making them work on chain gangs, received praise for his anti-immigration efforts from many who believe the federal government isn't doing enough to remove people in the U.S. illegally.
But his raids and sweeps of illegal immigrants in Phoenix and nearby Guadalupe have drawn protests from community leaders and civil liberties advocates. Arpaio, a Republican, has also been criticized for letting thousands of felony warrants go unserved while he chased illegal immigrants.
According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, there are about 59,000 outstanding, unserved felony warrants in the state. The majority are in Maricopa County, the state's most populated county.
Source: foxnews.com
Minutemen Leader Threatens Judge Over Lethal Force Decision
San Diego Minutemen leader Jeff Schwilk has long taken pleasure in harassing immigrants.
So perhaps it’s no surprise that he wrote a vicious E-mail to supporters threatening a federal judge who ruled in favor of an undocumented immigrant killed by a Border Patrol agent.
“This judge should be immediately dragged out, arrested and sent to Gitmo for crimes against our country!” Schwilk wrote in the E-mail titled “Death Penalty for Rock Throwers.” “Or better yet, tie him to a post near the border fence in Douglas [Ariz.] and attach 10 burritos to him as bait for these innocent little Mexican rock throwers! Put a sign next to him that says, ‘I work for the U.S. Border Patrol.’ He wouldn’t last 10 minutes. B@st@rd!”
Along with his comments, Schwilk forwarded an Associated Press article about the ruling in a civil lawsuit brought by the victim’s family, who was awarded $350,000. According to the AP story, U.S. District Judge Raner Collins decided that the Border Patrol agent used excessive force when he fatally shot an undocumented immigrant, 22-year-old Ricardo Olivares Martinez. The shooting occurred after an agent encountered a group of undocumented immigrants near the Arizona-Mexico border in 2003. Among them was Martinez, who tossed rocks at Agent Cesar Cervantes even after he was ordered to stop. Cervantes said he responded with deadly force because his life was in danger. The judge disagreed, saying the agent “was not in imminent danger from the deceased.”
Schwilk took exception to that finding. “If an illegal alien ever throws a rock (deadly weapon) at me, he’s a dead man! Only lethal force will be used in deadly situations. This is absolutely outrageous!”
Read more here: splcenter.org
So perhaps it’s no surprise that he wrote a vicious E-mail to supporters threatening a federal judge who ruled in favor of an undocumented immigrant killed by a Border Patrol agent.
“This judge should be immediately dragged out, arrested and sent to Gitmo for crimes against our country!” Schwilk wrote in the E-mail titled “Death Penalty for Rock Throwers.” “Or better yet, tie him to a post near the border fence in Douglas [Ariz.] and attach 10 burritos to him as bait for these innocent little Mexican rock throwers! Put a sign next to him that says, ‘I work for the U.S. Border Patrol.’ He wouldn’t last 10 minutes. B@st@rd!”
Along with his comments, Schwilk forwarded an Associated Press article about the ruling in a civil lawsuit brought by the victim’s family, who was awarded $350,000. According to the AP story, U.S. District Judge Raner Collins decided that the Border Patrol agent used excessive force when he fatally shot an undocumented immigrant, 22-year-old Ricardo Olivares Martinez. The shooting occurred after an agent encountered a group of undocumented immigrants near the Arizona-Mexico border in 2003. Among them was Martinez, who tossed rocks at Agent Cesar Cervantes even after he was ordered to stop. Cervantes said he responded with deadly force because his life was in danger. The judge disagreed, saying the agent “was not in imminent danger from the deceased.”
Schwilk took exception to that finding. “If an illegal alien ever throws a rock (deadly weapon) at me, he’s a dead man! Only lethal force will be used in deadly situations. This is absolutely outrageous!”
Read more here: splcenter.org
Sheriff Arpaio's Deputies Break Woman's Arm
Immigration and Customs Enforcement released a woman suspected of being undocumented Thursday night after it was determined that her arm had been broken while she was in MCSO custody.
Maria del Carmen Garcia Martinez was released on her own recognizance, her left arm slung in a cast after she received treatment at St. Joseph's. She had been turned over to ICE earlier in the day by the MCSO. ICE took her to St. Joseph's for medical attention, photographed her injuries and released her with a pending court date around 8 p.m. from its offices on Central Ave.
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